Information For:

Judaic Studies

Description

Jews have lived and flourished over thousands of years in a
variety of social contexts, stretching from the Land of Israel and the eastern
Mediterranean to Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Concentrators
will have the opportunity to study Jews in these contexts, getting to know
their social structures, and what they have created. The subjects of
study cover an astonishing range, including history and society, Jewish law and
philosophy, and Jewish literature and ritual. Students will learn to unlock
this wealth in both the ancient and the modern worlds through a number of
academic disciplines - History, Religious Studies, and Literature. These
also provide tools for studying and analyzing human societies and cultures in
general, for which Jewish experiences provide an important perspective.

Student Goals

Students in this concentration will:

Explore the history of Jews and Judaism from biblical times to the present

Develop theoretical acumen in humanistic and social scientific inquiry

Acquire elementary proficiency in Hebrew

Select and develop proficiency in the methods of one particular discipline

Complete a capstone course or honors thesis

Requirements

Click here for a list of the Judaic Studies concentration requirements. For more information about this concentration, please visit the department's website.

Honors and Capstones

A candidate for honors in Judaic Studies will write a thesis
in the senior year. In order to be
considered a candidate for honors, students will be expected to maintain an
outstanding record (at least an A-) in Judaic Studies courses. The honors thesis, which fulfills the
capstone requirement, will normally be written as a two-semester individual
study project (JUDS 1975/1976). At the
end of the senior year, the thesis adviser (a faculty member of the Program in
Judaic Studies), and a second reader, chosen by the thesis adviser in
consultation with the student, will evaluate the thesis, and the Judaic Studies
faculty will determine if it is worthy of honors in Judaic Studies. Students interested in honors should approach
a potential adviser by the spring registration period of their junior
year. When taken as preparation of the
honors thesis, JUDS 1971 and 1972 count towards the ten required courses in the
concentration.

Liberal Learning

This concentration allows you to address the following Liberal Learning goals: